The present invention relates to compound miter saws or other power operated equipment or machinery utilizing a cutter for performing working operations on a workpiece. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in the table assembly for the miter adjustment for such power operated equipment. The table assembly includes a miter detent override for allowing adjustment of the miter angle without interference from the detent system.
Saws and other apparatuses designed for cutting or performing other working operations on a workpiece typically require adjustment mechanisms for moving the saw blade or cutting tool into an angular relationship to the workpiece. An example of such equipment includes cross-cut compound miter saws which are adapted for allowing the user to selectively move the saw blade into any of a number of positions or modes for square cutting, miter cutting, bevel cutting, or compound miter cutting where a combination miter and bevel are cut. In addition, some operations, such as dado cutting or shaping operations, for example, require the use of saw blades or other cutting or working devices of different shapes or sizes to be substituted for one another in order to perform the desired operation on the workpiece, whether the workpiece is composed of wood, plastic, metal or other materials.
In order to allow for the adjustment in miter and bevel angles, the saw blade, cutter or other working device is angularly adjustable with respect to a horizontal base and a vertical fence against which the workpiece is positioned. The miter adjustment allows the saw blade, cutter or other working device to move angularly with respect to the vertical fence while maintaining perpendicularity with the horizontal base. The bevel adjustment allows the saw blade, cutter or other working device to move angularly with respect to the horizontal base while maintaining perpendicularity with the vertical fence. At times it may be desirable to cut a combination miter and bevel by simultaneously adjusting the angularity of the blade with respect to both the horizontal base and the vertical fence.
Once the saw blade, cutter or other working device has been adjusted to the desired position with respect to the horizontal base and the vertical fence, locking mechanisms for the miter and bevel adjustment must be activated in order to prohibit movement of the saw blade, cutter or other working device with respect to the base and fence while the cutting operation is performed. These locking mechanisms need to be easily activated, adjustable and quick acting in order to optimize the efficiency of the cutting apparatus and provide convenience to the operator of the apparatus.
In accordance with the present invention, an improved table assembly incorporating a miter locking mechanism with a miter detent override mechanism is employed. The locking mechanism includes an axially extending locking rod which has a two positional lever assembly at one end and a guide/locking bracket at the opposite end. The guide/locking bracket is utilized to guide the movement of the locking rod as well as to lock the table at the desired miter angle. The lever assembly is movable between a first position where the miter table is locked to a base of the table assembly at a specified position and a second position where the miter table is free to rotate with respect to the base of the table assembly. The miter detent override mechanism includes a detent spring, a detent spring actuator and a plurality of detent slots with each slot being located at one of the various popular miter angles. When the detent spring is located within one of the detent slots, the miter table is releasable held at a respective one of these popular miter angles.
The detent spring actuator is provided to cause the detent spring to bypass the various detent slots provided at the various popular miter angles, thus allowing for adjustment of the table to a position in between the miter detent slots.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.